User:Zarthanon
About me[edit source]
Hello. I am an avid The Sims player, and have been for many years. I have followed the development of Maxis from its beginnings in the late 1980s to its sale to EA to the present. I began my fascination with simulated games with SimCity back in 1989, progressing to SimCity 2000, SimCity 3000, and SimCity 4 in recent years. Computer games have changed considerably since the days of old DOS-based text command games. Over the years, I also accumulated SimAnt, SimIsle (which wasn't very good), SimFarm, SimTower, and SimCopter.
In the mid-90s, I began reading about Will Wright's development of a new type of simulated game that would eventually become The Sims. I was fascinated by the concept as simulated games have always been my favorite genre. I eagerly awaited the game's release in 2000, quickly purchasing it and starting my first simulated family. The Sims was everything I had hoped for, but was disappointed when Maxis canceled the development of SimsVille in 2001, which would have been a cross between SimCity and The Sims. I played The Sims regularly over the next four years until The Sims 2 was released in 2004. Once again, I was one of the first purchasers of the game, having preordered months in advance. The Sims 2 was even better than the original, and with the new generational abilities I created my first dynasty. I own every expansion for both The Sims and The Sims 2, plus all the stuff packs. Before the release of The Sims 3, I again preordered. I am enjoying the newest incarnation of the series immensely, and cannot wait for more expansion packs to be released and custom content created.
The only recent Maxis creation that disappointed me, however, was Spore. I had heard about its development in 2002 and over the next six years read everything I could about what was described as Will Wright's greatest creation yet. The anticipation was almost unbearable as production continued to grow longer and a release date was delayed over and again. When it was finally released, I downloaded it immediately, eager to begin dabbling in the evolution cycle. The first two stages were fun, but the final three were too similar to other games that had been developed in the years we spent waiting for Spore's release. By the time it was released, it was outdated. I was disappointed in it and rarely play anymore.